Seal of Excellence of the European Commission

This collaboration culminates a 2019 year of full growth for SmartDegrees, in which the European Commission has provided it with its Seal of Excellence (Horizon 2020 quality certificate – the largest research and innovation program in the European Union – in compliance with its criteria of excellence, impact, quality and efficiency in the implementation), in addition to granting financing to accelerate its expansion. The company anticipates in this way a technology that will become essential in the medium term.

SmartDegrees also already collaborates fluently with the following institutions:

• University of the Illes Balears. Agreement signed with the objective of carrying out joint research studies on blockchain technology, to expand its possibilities in academic degrees, anticipate future trends and boost its communication to other universities.
• Master in Banking and Financial Markets in Casablanca. A joint initiative between the universities Hassan II of Casablanca and Cantabria, which since August already issues its first university diplomas in blockchain, registered and certified by SmartDegrees.
• Sicomoro Foundation. It has its meetings minutes certified in blockchain, simplifying and guaranteeing its processes, through an innovative end-to-end solution provided by SmartDegrees, since December.

Microsoft for Startups initiative

This innovative and disruptive model has not gone unnoticed and has obtained adherance to Microsoft for Startups initiative, consolidating its university certification platform, by hosting the blockchain nodes in the Azure cloud, improving security and scalability, in addition to multiple advantages for its expansion, for the benefit of universities.

In addition and in order to complement the above, SmartDegrees has expanded its services, incorporating a business strategic consulting activity, which it develops through SmartDegrees Consulting.

SmartDegrees began providing its services for the registration and certification of blockchain degrees at the University Carlos III de Madrid, in July 2018, to help university graduates in the labor market, promoting services around the degree and guaranteeing the validity of diplomas.

La entrada SmartDegrees completes a second year of major milestones se publicó primero en SmartPortfolio.

Collaboration in research studies on blockchain

The agreement, signed by Llorenç Huguet, rector of the UIB, and José María Fuster, president of SmartDegrees, contemplates joint research studies, seminars, colloquiums and symposia, and other programs and activities agreed between the parties.

The innovative and disruptive nature of blockchain technology opens up huge possibilities in all sectors, particularly in higher education. Its use in academic degrees allows to transform the degree in the labor market and in the society, with the following benefits for graduates:

• It guarantees the immutability of the degree, avoiding the fraud.
• The graduate is the sovereign owner of their data and decides how, where and when to display them.
• It facilitates the enhancement of the degree, speeding up its sharing with work platforms, recruiters and third parties.

The growing trend of continuous and competency learning, together with digital work platforms and the increase in degree fraud, make it necessary to have secure, decentralized technologies that facilitate the portability of academic degree certificates.

The collaboration with the University Illes Balears will allow to take advantage of these opportunities, expanding the service provided by SmartDegrees for the certification and registration of academic degrees in blockchain platform, since July 2018 for several institutions of higher education and that is extending to other universities in Europe and Latin America.

About University Illes Balears

The University Illes Balears is a public university, innovative and committed to the improvement of society, through research, teaching and dissemination of knowledge in various fields.

About SmartDegrees

SmartDegrees was created in August 2017 with 100% Spanish capital, with the aim of offering registration and certification services for degrees in  blockchain, to help university graduates in the labor market, promoting services around the degree and guaranteeing the validity of the diplomas.

Media coverage: Europa Press, La Vanguardia, Economía de Hoy, 20 Minutos, Gente Digital

La entrada UIB and SmartDegrees will conduct joint research studies on blockchain technology se publicó primero en SmartPortfolio.